Government Must Own Chicago Casino, Daley Says

Some officials believe building a land-based casino could provide help during Chicago's financial crisis but Mayor Daley has some reservations that must be met first.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Daley shot down a proposal made three weeks ago by two aldermen to build a "casino and entertainment complex on the Michael Reese Hospital site once set aside for an Olympic Village."

But as the city sinks further into the red, the mayor is revisiting the years-old idea to bring a casino to Chicago. Yet Daley has a few conditions in mind before he fully endorses it, according to the report.

For starters, Governor Pat Quinn and state lawmakers have to be the ones to lead the charge for a Chicago casino. The casino must be city-owned and have a private manager "because we (City Hall) have to deal with all the repercussions of gambling," Daley said. And lastly, any proposed casino must also be devoid of any restaurants that would take away customers from area businesses.

[Sun-Times]